System and method for memory jumping within stored instances of content

ABSTRACT

Content receivers may simultaneously record multiple instances of content for multiple programming channels based on content provider instructions. Systems and methods utilize the content receivers to perform memory jumping operations within files having the simultaneously recorded multiple instance of content stored therein. The memory jumping operation may jump locations within the file corresponding to a predetermined memory jumping operation timeframe, and in order to account for the variability in the recording bit rate and therefore the playing of the instance of content, the jump locations in the memory jumping operation may be dynamically adjusted based on recording bit rates.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

The present application claims the benefit under 35 U.S.C. §119(e) ofU.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/526,379, which was filed onAug. 23, 2011, and entitled “System and Method for Memory Jumping WithinStored Instances of Content,” which is incorporated by reference intothe present application in its entirety.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This disclosure relates generally to utilizing content receivers toperform memory jumping operations and to dynamically adjust memoryjumping operations based on a recording bit rate for one or moreinstances of content simultaneously recorded.

SUMMARY

The present disclosure discloses systems and methods for performingmemory jumping operations utilizing a content receiver. The contentreceiver generally records multiple instances of content simultaneouslyand stores the multiple instances of content as a single file. Uponreplay of one of the multiple instances of content, the content receiverperforms memory jumping operations by causing the content receiver toskip ahead or move backward within the file corresponding to a memoryjumping operation timeframe. Each memory jumping operation timeframe maycorrespond to a predefined time period of one or more seconds, minutesor hours. For example, a predefined memory jumping operation timeframemay be 30 seconds, and in response to receiving a selection to performthe memory jumping operation (such as by utilizing a controller, e.g., aremote control), the content receiver jumps ahead or back within thefile to a location corresponding to 30 seconds. However, becausemultiple instances of content are recorded simultaneously, and aregenerally stored within a single file, the content receiver may berequired to move to different locations within the file to reach thefile location associated with the 30 second timeframe selected. This isbecause the content receiver may record the instances of content atvarying bit rates, for example, depending on the recording capacity ofthe content receiver, on the number of instances of content recordedsimultaneously, on the actual and/or average bit rate of recording ofone, some or all of the instances of content, and so on. The contentreceiver is therefore configured to dynamically adjust movement withinthe file to perform the memory jumping operation (e.g., having apredefined timeframe) based on utilizing information associatedrecording bit rates, such as the aggregate recording bit rate for thesimultaneously recorded multiple instances of content.

In one implementation, a method for performing memory jumping operationsutilizing a content receiver includes replaying an instance of contentfrom a file stored within the content receiver, the file comprisingmultiple instances of content recorded simultaneously from a pluralityof programming channels; receiving a selection for performing a memoryjumping operation at a first time within the instance of content; inresponse to receiving the selection, performing the memory jumpingoperation by movement to a location within the file corresponding to apredefined memory jumping operation timeframe; and replaying theinstance of content upon performing the memory jumping operation. Thecontent receiver dynamically adjusts the location movement within thefile such that the location movement corresponds to the predefinedmemory jumping operation timeframe, and the dynamic adjustment is atleast based on an aggregate recording bit rate of the simultaneouslyrecorded multiple instances of content.

In another implementation, a system for performing memory jumpingoperations uses a content receiver that includes a processing unit forsimultaneously recording multiple instances of content from a pluralityof programming channels; a data storage unit for storing thesimultaneously recorded multiple instances of content from the pluralityof programming channels within a file; and a communications unit forreceiving selections and for transmitting a replayed instance of contentfrom the file to a content display device. The content receiver receivesa selection for performing a memory jumping operation at a first timewithin the instance of content, and in response to receiving theselection, the processing unit performs the memory jumping operation byexecuting instructions for the data storage unit to read a differentlocation within the file corresponding to a predefined memory jumpingoperation timeframe at a second time within the instance of content, andthe communications unit plays the instance of content at the second timewithin the instance of content. The processing unit dynamically adjuststhe different location within the file the data storage unit reads tocorrespond to the predefined memory jumping operation timeframe based onan aggregate recording bit rate of the simultaneously recorded multipleinstances of content.

It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description andthe following detailed description are for purposes of example andexplanation and do not necessarily limit the present disclosure. Theaccompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a partof the specification, illustrate subject matter of the disclosure.Together, the descriptions and the drawings serve to explain theprinciples of the disclosure.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a system for automaticallyrecording multiple instances of content from one or more programmingproviders.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a system for memory jumping.

FIG. 3 is a flow chart illustrating a method for memory jumping. Thismethod may be performed by the system of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating on screen display content displayinginformation about memory jumping.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

The description that follows includes sample systems, methods, andcomputer program products that embody various elements of the presentdisclosure. However, it should be understood that the describeddisclosure may be practiced in a variety of forms in addition to thosedescribed herein.

Users of content receivers may desire to access different instances ofcontent that are broadcast simultaneously and/or substantiallycontemporaneously by content providers. For example, many televisionprogramming viewers wish to watch different television programs thatoccupy the same broadcast time slot, such as the different televisionprograms associated with the major television programs that arebroadcast between seven PM and ten PM mountain time. Content receiversmay attempt to address this issue by utilizing multiple tuners that caneach separately present and/or record different, simultaneouslybroadcast instances of content. However, a separate tuner may still berequired for each simultaneous or substantially contemporaneous instanceof broadcast or otherwise received content that a content receiver userwishes to view and/or record. Further, in addition to separate tunersrequired for each instance of content, the content receiver may requiresufficient resources to descramble and store each of the instances ofcontent desired by the user.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a system 100 for automaticallyrecording multiple instances of content from one or more programmingproviders. The automatic recording of multiple instances of contentprovided by the system 100 may enable users of content receivers toaccess different instances of content that are broadcast simultaneouslyand/or substantially contemporaneously by content providers.

In various broadcast systems, content providers may broadcast content toa plurality of different content receivers via one or more frequencybands utilizing one or more satellites. Each multiplexed signalcontained in the frequency band (sometimes referred to as a transponder)may be configured to include data related to one or more instances ofcontent, such as one or more television programming channels. The datarelated to each of the instances of content included in each frequencymay be scrambled utilizing one or more CWs (control words), which maythen be encrypted to generate one or more ECMs (entitlement controlmessages) which may in turn be included with the data. A contentreceiver may typically tune to one or more of the frequency bands toreceive the multiplexed signal that contains data for a particularprogramming channel utilizing one or more tuners. The content receivermay process only a subset of the programming channels by keeping thedata associated with the particular programming channel and discardingdata received via the tuned frequency band and multiplexed signalassociated with other programming channels. The content receiver maydecrypt the ECM included with the data associated with the particularprogramming channel to obtain the CW, descramble the data utilizing theCW, and store and/or transmit the data (e.g., decompressed,reconstructed audio and video data) to one or more presentation devices.

As illustrated in FIG. 1, in this implementation, one or more contentproviders may select multiple instances of content 101 to beautomatically recorded such as by utilizing predefined recordingparameters. For example, a content provider may select all of thetelevision events defined as “primetime events” associated with allchannels defined as “primetime television channels” for a particularperiod of time defined as “prime time” to be automatically recorded. Inother examples, the content provider may select television eventsassociated with programming channels for a particular time period (suchas a half hour, multiple hours, and/or an entire programming day) inresponse to user selections. After the content provider selects themultiple instances of content, the multiple instances of content may bemultiplexed utilizing a multiplexer 102. The multiplexed signal (whichincludes the multiplexed selected multiple instances of content) maythen be scrambled by a scrambler 105 utilizing one or more CWs 103. TheCW may be encrypted to generate an ECM, which may be included with themultiplexed signal. The scrambled multiplexed signal may then beincluded in a broadcast on a frequency band (e.g., cable, satellite),which may then be transmitted to one or more satellites 106 forbroadcast. The satellite 106 may receive the frequency band (uplinkfrequency band) and then broadcast the multiplexed signal to a number ofcontent receivers on a translated frequency band (downlink frequencyband), such as a content receiver that includes a tuner 107.

The tuner 107 may tune to the frequency band that includes the multipleinstances of content (which may be performed in response to one or morerecording instructions received by the content receiver that includesthe tuner from the content provider). The data received via the tunedfrequency may be demultiplexed by a demultiplexer 109 and thendescrambled by a descrambler 110 utilizing the CW before being stored ina non-transitory storage medium 111 (which may take the form of, but isnot limited to, a magnetic storage medium; optical storage medium;magneto-optical storage medium; read only memory; random access memory;erasable programmable memory; flash memory; and so on) based onrecording parameters, such as predefined recording parameters. Thedemultiplexer 109 may obtain the included ECM 104, and the ECM may beprovided to a smart card 108 that may decrypt the ECM 104 to obtain theCW 103 for the descrambler 110. Hence, the multiple instances of contentmay subsequently all be available to a user of the content receiver(until such time as they are removed from the non-transitory storagemedium) without requiring multiple tuners to receive each of themultiple instances of content, without requiring the smart card todecrypt multiple ECMs. In some implementations, the multiple instancesof content may be stored in a single file.

Although the system 100 is illustrated in FIG. 1 and is described aboveas including a number of specific components configured in a specificarrangement, it is understood that this is for the purposes of exampleand other arrangements involving fewer and/or additional components arepossible without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. Forexample, in various implementations, the multiple instances of contentmay be individually scrambled utilizing the control word prior tomultiplexing. In another example, in some implementations, the datareceived via the tuned frequency may be demultiplexed before beingindividually descrambled utilizing the control word.

In some implementations of the system of FIG. 1, multiple instances ofcontent may be recorded simultaneously from a single transponder andstored in the non-transitory storage medium 111 of the content receiveras a single file of multiple recorded instances of content. Upon playingof one instance of content from the single file of the multiple recordedinstances of content, the content receiver may read the fileincrementally so as to play the one instance of content while filteringout the other file contents (e.g., the other instance of content withinthe file). For example, five instances of content may be received at atransponder and simultaneously recorded by the content receiver based onpredefined recording parameters, and each of the instances of contentmay record at an average variable bit rate. More specifically, oneinstance of content may be received by the transponder and be recordedby the content receiver at an average of 1 Mb/sec (Megabits per second),a second instance of content at an average of 2 Mb/sec, a third at 3Mb/sec, a fourth instance of content at an average of 4 Mb/sec, and afifth instance of content at 5 Mb/sec. In this example, the transponderreceives and the content receiver records the five instances of contentat an aggregate bit rate of 15 Mb/sec (e.g., the aggregate of 1 Mb/sec,2 Mb/sec, 3 Mb/sec, 4 Mb/sec, and 5 Mb/sec). Thus, playing one of thefive instances of content involves utilizing the content receiver toread the full file at 15 Mb/sec but discarding all but the one instanceof content that is desired.

In some implementations, the aggregate recording bit rate may be lessthan the maximum available recording bit rate. Thus, the aggregate bitrate of 15 Mb/sec for a transponder may be less than the maximumavailable bit rate of, for example, up to 40 Mb/sec. Accordingly,playing an instance of recorded content involves the content receiverdetermining the aggregate recording bit rate for the file of thesimultaneously recorded multiple instances of content and playing theinstance of content based on the aggregate recording bit rate.

In another example, a file of ten simultaneously recorded instances ofcontent may be recorded at a bit rate of 40 Mb/sec (e.g., a maximumaggregate bit rate for the transponder), having a recording bit rate (oran average bit rate) of 4 Mb/sec playing one of the ten instances ofcontent involves utilizing the content receiver to incrementally readthe file in increments of 4 Mb/sec of the total 40 Mb/sec recorded. Afirst show may be associated with the content recorded at the first 4Mb/sec (e.g., Mb 1-4) of the total 40 Mb/sec, a second show may beassociated with the content recorded at the second 4 Mb/sec (e.g., Mb5-8), and so on.

In the examples above, it will be appreciated that the multipleinstances of content may be recorded based on statistical multiplexingutilizing communicatively coupled video compressors that determine thebandwidth of data needed for compressing the instance of content to berecorded. This enables the recording (and replay) bit rate of aninstance of content to be variable within the recording stream, andaccordingly the multiple instances of content may be recorded each atvarying bitrates. For a given transponder, as the percentage of thetransport stream that is being recorded increases, the variability ofthe recording data drops. That is, if 100 percent of the stream is beingrecorded (e.g. at the maximum aggregate bit rate for the transponder),then the variability is zero. As a result, the average recording bitrate of many varying streams may be less noisy. In the examples above,it will also be appreciated that the aggregate recording bit rate may becalculated periodically or in real time.

In addition to replaying recorded content, content receivers arecommonly instructed to perform “trick plays” in which the contentreceiver reads the recorded content at a different location within thefile corresponding to a predetermined timeframe within the instance ofcontent, e.g., in a fast-forward or rewind operation. Memory jumpingoperations may involve moving a content receiver head or pointer forwardor backward to a different position, location or address within themedia, electronically moving to a different address within the media,and so on. This memory jumping operation may involve reading the file ata different location compared to the initial file position correspondingto a few seconds to a few hours (e.g., 1 second; 2, 5, 10, 30, 60 or 90seconds; 2, 5, 10, 15 or 30 minutes; 1 hour; 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 or 12 hours,and so on) and continuing the play of the instance of content aftermoving to the different location. Memory jumping operations may alsoinvolve playing the instance of content at a decreased or an increasedrate, such as at a decreased replay rate at, for example, at 0.25×,0.5×, or 0.75× speed, or an increased rate of replay at, for example, at1.25×, 1.5×, 2×, 4×, 8×, 16×, 32×, or 64× speed.

The present disclosure discloses systems and methods for performingmemory jumping operations within a file containing a plurality ofsimultaneously recorded instances of content. Memory jumping operationsenable “trick plays” to be performed by the content receiver duringplaying of one of the plurality of simultaneously recorded instances ofcontent. Generally, the simultaneously recorded instances of content maybe written into a single file that enables the memory jumping operationto be performed for the single instance of content being played, whichforms a portion of the aggregate file of the plurality of instances ofcontent. Because the file is an aggregate of multiple instances ofcontent, each recorded at varying bit rates, the memory jumpingoperation involves less variability due to the aggregate file averagingout the variable recording bit rates for the multiple instances ofcontent. Thus, in comparison to a file having a single instance ofcontent having been recorded at a variable bit rate, the file recordedat an aggregate bit rate results in a reduced variability. In addition,the single file is written without adding time-based markers and withoutadding index files. In addition, the content receiver generally does notrequire start code detectors for each program, thereby simplifyinghardware and processing operations of the content receiver.

In some implementations, the content receiver records some or all of thecontents of a transponder at a known bit rate (e.g., an aggregate bitrate of a plurality of shows), the content receiver knows or predictsthe recording bit rate or average recording bit rate of each of themultiple instances of content simultaneously recorded, and utilizes someor all of this information to estimate the location within the file thatthe content receiver reads in order to perform the type of memory jumpselected (e.g., the timeframe selected). Memory jumping operations maybe selected by a user utilizing a controller (such as a remote control)for example.

In some implementations, the aggregate recording bit rate, the aggregateaverage recording bit rate, or combinations thereof, may be known,calculated or predicted and utilized to estimate the location within thefile corresponding to the memory jumping operation. The memory jumpingoperations according to the implementations provided herein, are largermemory jumps compared to performing similar “trick plays” for a filecontaining a single instance of content. For example, a file with fivesimultaneously recorded multiple instances of content for three hourshaving been recorded utilizing the system of FIG. 1, may be five timeslarger than a file with a single instance of content recorded for threehours. Thus, the content receiver is required to navigate relativelylarger amounts of data within the file when performing the memoryjumping operations provided herein.

In addition, because the multiple instances of content may be recordedat different rates (e.g., varying bit rates), and the memory jumpingoperation generally involves moving locations within a file of thestored instances of content corresponding to a predefined timeframe(e.g., 30 seconds or 1 minute), the content receivers provided hereinare configured to account for the variability in the bit rate ofrecording (e.g., the variability in the aggregate recording bit rate,the variability in the average recording bit rate some or all of theinstances of content recorded, combinations thereof, and so on) bydynamically adjusting the location change within the file based oninformation associated with the recording bit rates.

Referring to the example above in which five instances of content arerecorded at an aggregate bit rate of 15 Mb/sec, performing a memoryjumping operation may involve the content receiver determining theaggregate bit rate of recording (15 Mb/sec), and the content receivermay perform a memory jumping operation having a 30 second timeframe bymoving to a location within the file by 450 Mb (30 sec.×15 Mb/sec).Referring to the example above in which ten instances of content arerecorded simultaneously at an aggregate bit rate of 40 Mb/sec,performing a 30 second memory jumping operation may involve moving to alocation within the file by 1.2 kB. In some implementations, the actualor average bit rate for one or more instances of content may becalculated periodically or in real time to enable the memory jumpingoperation parameters to be dynamically adjusted to account for changesin the recording bit rate of the instance of content. In someimplementations, the each of the multiple instances simultaneouslyrecorded may be assigned a priority for bandwidth (e.g., the higherpriority instance of content receives a larger recording bandwidth) andafter performing the memory jump operation, the content receiver maysearch for the instance of content within the aggregate file based onthe assigned priority.

In some implementations, the content receiver may move locations withinthe file based on the memory jump operation (e.g., the predefinedtimeframe), may read the content to determine whether jump positioncorresponds with the predefined timeframe associated with the memoryjump operation, and may automatically adjust the location within thefile based on whether the jump position corresponds to a timeframe thatis more or less than the memory jumping operation timeframe. Thisrefinement operation may adjust locations within the file multiple timesto enable the content receiver to play the instance of content beginningat, or close to, the predefined timeframe associated with the memoryjumping operation.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a system 200 for executing memoryjumping operations within a file containing multiple instances ofcontent simultaneously recorded. The system 200 may be at least partlyincorporated into the system of FIG. 1. The system 200 includes acontent receiver 202 (such as a set top box) for receiving andtransmitting content (such as television programming and on screendisplay content), a content provider 204 for transmitting the content(such as a satellite or cable programming service provider), a contentdisplay device 206 for receiving and displaying the content (such as atelevision), and a controller 208 (such as a remote control) fortransmitting data such as control signals to the content receiver 202.

The content receiver 202 is a device for receiving content from thecontent provider 204 and other external sources, for processing ordecoding the content and for transmitting the content to the contentdisplay device 206. The content receiver 202 is, for example, a set topbox, a television receiver, a digital video recorder, a computingdevice, a gaming device, or a television, which is generally located ata user's location (such as a user's residence or business). The contentreceiver 202 is operable to receive content from the content provider204 (and/or another external source) by way of the transmission link210. Such content is received by the communications unit 220 of thecontent receiver 202. The processing unit 224 may execute instructionsfor causing the data storage unit 226 (such as the non-transitorystorage medium 111) to record multiple instances of content for aplurality of programming channels simultaneously within a single filedescribed above in connection with FIG. 1, for playing one of the storedinstances of content, and for performing memory jumping operationsduring replay of the instance of content. The transmission unit 228 maybe communicatively coupled to the content display device 206 by way oftransmission link 211.

The content provider 204 (such as a satellite programming company, acable company, an Internet service provider, e.g., an online videoservice or Internet video provider, and the like) is generally remotelylocated from the content receiver 202. The content provider transmitscontent to the communications unit 220 of the content receiver 202 viathe transmission link 210. The content transmitted may include metadataspecifying recording instructions for the content receiver 202 toautomatically record multiple instances of content simultaneously formultiple programming channels described above in connection with FIG. 1.

The content display device 206 is generally arranged proximate to and iscommunicatively coupled to the content receiver 202 and displays contenttransmitted by the content receiver 202. While the content displaydevice 206 and the content receiver 202 are depicted as separatecomponents in FIG. 2, the content receiver 202 may be incorporated withthe content display device 206. The content display device 206 is, forexample, a television, a computer screen, a video screen, or any otherdisplay device for displaying content. The content display device 206 iscommunicatively coupled to the content receiver 202 by way of thetransmission link 211.

The controller 208 is generally provided in an area proximate thecontent receiver 202 and is communicatively coupled to the contentdisplay device 206 by way of the transmission link 212, and to thecontent receiver 202 by way of the transmission link 213. The controller208 is, for example, a remote control, such as a universal remotecontrol, a dedicated remote control, or a computing device programmed tosend command signals (such as selection signals) to the content receiver202. The controller 208 may be utilized to provide command signalsinstructing the content receiver 202 to perform the memory jumpingoperations described above.

Returning to the content receiver 202, the processing unit 224 may beprogrammed to perform the memory jumping operations upon playing of oneof the instances of content having been simultaneously recorded alongwith multiple instances of content from a number of programmingchannels. For example, four programming channels and the correspondingfour instances of content may be recorded simultaneously, and uponplaying of one of the four instances of content stored in the datastorage unit 226, the processing unit 224 may perform memory jumpingoperations such as skipping ahead or back-tracking by a predefinedtimeframe within the instance of content (such as 30 seconds). Thisoperation may be performed in response to receiving a selection from thecontroller 208. Upon performing the memory jumping operation, thecommunications unit 220 transmits the instance of content at the newposition within the recorded instance of content.

Playing the instance of content and performing memory jumping operationswithin an instance of content may involve the processing unit 224reading metadata associated with an initial frame of the instance ofcontent, such as a packet identifier (“PID”) and a presentationtimestamp (“PTS”). For example, while playing the instance of content,the processing unit 224 may select only the PID for the instance ofcontent to be played, while ignoring other PIDs within the file of theplurality of simultaneously recorded instances of content. During amemory jumping operation, the processing unit 224 may instruct the datastorage unit 226 to search for the PID for the instance of content beingplayed at a different location within the file. The processing unit 224may compare the PID and PTS metadata of the initial frame at the initialfile location (e.g., prior to performing the memory jump) to asubsequent frame after moving locations within the file to determinewhether the memory jump operation was accurately performed. PIDs aregenerally identifiers associated with data streams, such as contentstreams and supplemental data streams, which identify a channel for thedata stream. Several PIDs may be associated with one transpondercontrolled by the content provider 204 and simultaneously recordedutilizing the system of FIG. 1. By identifying or selecting the correctPID for the instance of content undergoing the memory jumping operation,the content receiver 202 may navigate to a location within the instanceof content that is stored within the file of the simultaneously recordedmultiple instances of content. A PTS is associated with each frame (e.g.MPEG frame, I-frame, P-frame, B-frame) of an instance of content and mayhave a resolution of 90 kHz. For example, the content receiver 202 mayread the PTS of anchor frames or I-frames and perform the comparisonbetween the frames before and after the memory jump. Thus, byidentifying the correct PID for the instance of content and comparingthe PTSs of the frames within the instance of content, the contentreceiver may accurately determine the timeframe between the initialframe and the subsequent frame.

In some implementations, the processing unit 224 dynamically adjusts themovement within the file corresponding to the memory jumping operationbased on recording bit rate information such that upon performing thememory jumping operation, the new file location corresponds to thepredefined timeframe associated with the memory jumping operation. Insome implementations, dynamically adjusting the memory jumping operationis based on the aggregate bit rate at which the multiple instances ofcontent were simultaneously recorded. In addition or alternatively, thedynamic adjustment may be based on an actual recorded bit rate incomparison to the aggregate bit rate at which the multiple instances ofcontent were simultaneously recorded. In another example, the memoryjumping operation is dynamically adjusted based on the ratio of therecorded bit rate of the instance of content to the higher aggregate bitrate of the collection of simultaneously recorded instances of content(e.g., 1:3; 1:4; 1:5; 1:10 and so on). In some implementations, theprocessing unit 224 dynamically adjusts the memory jumping operationbased on an average aggregate recorded bit rate. In anotherimplementation, the processing unit 224 dynamically adjusts the memoryjumping operation based on an average recorded bit rate. In anotherexample, the average bit rate may be calculated based on an average bitrate of recording of some or all of the simultaneously recorded multipleinstances of content. In another example, a bit rate for each of thesimultaneously recorded multiple instances of content may be determined,and the bit rates may be weighted and/or averaged. In the examplesabove, each of the simultaneously recorded multiple instances of contentmay be stored within the same file. In some implementations, the actualor average aggregate recording bit rate may be calculated periodicallyor in real time to enable the processing unit 224 to regularly adjustthe memory jumping operation parameters.

The content receiver 202, in some implementations, may be furtherconfigured to perform refinement operations within the memory jumpingoperation. For example, while reading the file of simultaneouslyrecorded multiple instances of content within the data storage unit 226at a first time, the processing unit 224 may execute instructions toread the file at a second time, and the timeframe between first time andthe second time may define a memory jumping operation timeframe. Theprocessing unit 224 may compare the memory jumping operation timeframewith a stored predefined memory jumping operation timeframe, and basedon the comparison, a refining operation may be performed to adjust thelocation within the file. The refining operation may be performed onetime or multiple times in order to locate a position within the filethat corresponds, or most closely corresponds, to the predefined memoryjumping operation timeframe. For example, for a memory jumping operationthat moves forward or backward within an instance of content by oneminute, the location within the file may change from an initial locationby a timeframe of 58 seconds, upon a first refinement operation, thelocation within the file may change by a timeframe of an additional 5seconds (e.g., to 63 seconds), upon a second refinement operation, thelocation movement within the file may correspond to backward movement bya timeframe 3.2 seconds (e.g., back to 59.8 seconds), and the processingunit 224 may continue to replay the file after the second refinementoperation at 59.8 seconds from the initial file location. The playingtime associated with the instance of content may be determined based onPTSs associated with the frames of the instance of content. Because thePTS of a frame at the initial position of the instance of content isknown, comparing the PTSs of the subsequent frames enables theprocessing unit 224 to determine the memory jumping operation timeframeand the refining timeframes. In some cases, the PTSs from anchor framesor I-frames may be used in calculating the memory jumping operationtimeframe and refining timeframes. This may be useful at least for theanchor frames or I-frames at the new file locations upon performing thememory jumping operation because, upon replay, the processing unit 224replays the instance of content beginning at an anchor frame or anI-frame (as opposed to a P-frame or a B-frame or other non-anchor framefrom a group of pictures (“GOP”)).

FIG. 3 illustrates a method 300 for performing memory jumping operationsutilizing a content receiver. The method 300 may be performed by thesystems 100 and 200 of FIGS. 1 and 2 respectively. The flow begins atblock 301 and proceeds to block 302 where the content receiver operates.The flow then proceed to block 303 where the processing unit 224determines whether content is to be recorded. If not, the flow returnsto block 302. If so, the flow then proceeds to block 304 where theprocessing unit 224 records content. For example, the processing unitmay simultaneously record multiple instances of content from a pluralityof programming channels described above in connection with FIGS. 1 and2. The flow then proceeds to block 305 where the processing unit 224determines whether one of the instances of content is to be played, forexample by transmitting the content to the content display device 206.If not, the flow proceeds to block 302 where the content receiveroperates. If so, the flow proceeds to block 306 where the processingunit 224 transmits the played content. The flow then proceeds to block307 where the processing unit 224 determines whether the processing unitis to perform a memory jumping operation. If not, the flow returns toblock 306 where the processing unit 224 transmits content. If a memoryjumping operation is to be performed, for example, upon receiving aselection command from the controller 208, the flow proceeds to block308 where the processing unit dynamically adjusts the location moved towithin the file based on one or more recording bit rates, such as theaggregate recording bit rate for the plurality of instance of content.The flow proceeds to block 309 where the processing unit determineswhether a memory jumping operation timeframe matches a predeterminedmemory jumping timeframe. If so, the flow proceeds to block 306 wherethe processing unit transmits the played content until the processingunit 224 determines whether the processing unit is to perform the memoryjumping operation again in operation 307. If not, the flow optionallyproceeds to block 310 where the processing unit 224 performs a refiningoperation. The flow then proceeds back to block 309 where the processingunit determines whether the timeframes match.

Returning to block 308, the processing unit 224 may dynamicallyconfigure the memory jumping operation by adjusting location jumpswithin the file to correspond to predefined memory jumping operationtimeframes. In connection with dynamically adjusting the memory jumpingoperation in block 308, and generally with the processing unit 224performing the memory jumping operations, the processing unit 224 mayincorporate information about the memory jumping operation with onscreen display content, which may be provided as an overlay to videocontent, such as the played instance of content.

FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating on screen display content providinginformation about the memory jumping operation. In FIG. 4, the on screendisplay content 401 may be provided as an overlay 402 to video content403 and may be generated utilizing the content receiver 404 such as thecontent receiver 202 in the system of FIG. 2 and transmitted to thecontent display device 405. The video content 403 may be the replayedinstance of content from the plurality of simultaneously recordedinstances of content. The on screen display content 401 includesprogramming information 406 in an upper region 407 and information aboutthe memory jumping operation 408 in a lower region 409. The upper region407 includes programming information 406 such as a channel and/ornetwork identifier 410, an identification field 411 identifying theinstance of content 412 displayed as the video content 403, a run and/orremaining time field 413 identifying the run time and/or remaining timefor the instance of content 412. The instance of content 412 displayedas the video content 403 may be live or previously recorded content.When the instance of content 412 is replayed, such as a replayedinstance of content from one of a plurality of instances of contentrecorded simultaneously described above in connection with FIGS. 1 and2, the lower region 409 of the on screen display content 401 may displayinformation about the memory jumping operation 408. For example, theuser 415 may input selections to perform the memory jumping operationutilizing the controller 416. Upon entering a selection, the contentreceiver 404 may transmit information about the memory jumping operation408 selected. In FIG. 4, the user 415 selects a memory jumping operationto cause the replayed instance of content to rewind by one minute. Inresponse, the content receiver 404 performs the memory jumpingoperation, and in the course of rewinding the instance of content, thecontent receiver 404 transmits information about the memory jumpingoperation 408 selected. This may include a time range image 418 and amarker 419 identifying the point in time at which the instance ofcontent 412 is replayed and a memory jumping operation time indicator420. In FIG. 4, the time range image 418 shows the instance of content412 is associated with a two hour run time, the marker 419 indicatesthat the instance of content 412 is replaying at 58 minutes from thestart (or 1 hour and 2 minutes from the end), and the memory jumpingoperation time indicator 420 indicates a one minute backwards memoryjumping operation is being or has been performed by the content receiver404.

In some implementations, the user may select icons within the on screendisplay content 401 such as the icons 420 displayed in the lower region409 representing pause, forward, fast-forward, rewind, fast-rewind, and,in response, the content receiver may perform the corresponding memoryjumping operation and simultaneously display the information about thememory jumping operation 408.

While the information about the memory jumping operation 408 indicatesthe memory jumping operation moves backward within the file by apredefined timeframe of one minute, it will be appreciated that theinformation may represent other predefined timeframes, such as thepredefined timeframes described above.

While the information about the memory jumping operation 408 is providedin a separate, lower overlaying region 409, this information may bedisplayed in any region within the on screen display content 402, aloneor in combination with the programming information 410, and the regionmay be an overlay 402 to any portion of the video content 403 (such asat a left side, right side, middle, center, upper and/or lower portion).In addition, the on screen display content 402 may be partiallytransparent (e.g., as shown in the upper region 407) or may be opaque(e.g., as shown in the lower region 409).

In the present disclosure, the methods disclosed may be implemented assets of instructions or software readable by a device. Further, it isunderstood that the specific order or hierarchy of steps in the methodsdisclosed are examples of sample approaches. In other embodiments, thespecific order or hierarchy of steps in the method can be rearrangedwhile remaining within the disclosed subject matter. The accompanyingmethod claims present elements of the various steps in a sample order,and are not necessarily meant to be limited to the specific order orhierarchy presented.

The described disclosure may be provided as a computer program product,or software, that may include a non-transitory machine-readable mediumhaving stored thereon instructions, which may be used to program acomputer system (or other electronic devices) to perform a processaccording to the present disclosure. A non-transitory machine-readablemedium includes any mechanism for storing information in a form (e.g.,software, processing application) readable by a machine (e.g., acomputer). The non-transitory machine-readable medium may take the formof, but is not limited to, a magnetic storage medium (e.g., floppydiskette, video cassette, and so on); optical storage medium (e.g.,CD-ROM); magneto-optical storage medium; read only memory (ROM); randomaccess memory (RAM); erasable programmable memory (e.g., EPROM andEEPROM); flash memory; and so on.

It is believed that the present disclosure and many of its attendantadvantages will be understood by the foregoing description, and it willbe apparent that various changes may be made in the form, constructionand arrangement of the components without departing from the disclosedsubject matter or without sacrificing all of its material advantages.The form described is merely explanatory, and it is the intention of thefollowing claims to encompass and include such changes.

While the present disclosure has been described with reference tovarious embodiments, it will be understood that these embodiments areillustrative and that the scope of the disclosure is not limited tothem. Many variations, modifications, additions, and improvements arepossible. More generally, embodiments in accordance with the presentdisclosure have been described in the context or particular embodiments.Functionality may be separated or combined in blocks differently invarious embodiments of the disclosure or described with differentterminology. These and other variations, modifications, additions, andimprovements may fall within the scope of the disclosure as defined inthe claims that follow.

1-20. (canceled)
 21. A method for performing a memory jump by a contentreceiver, the method comprising: outputting for playback a contentinstance from a stored file, wherein: the stored file comprises aplurality of content instances recorded from a plurality of televisionchannels; receiving input requesting a memory jump operation; inresponse to receiving the input requesting the memory jump operation,performing the memory jump operation by jumping to a location within thefile, wherein the memory jump operation is based on an aggregate bitrate of the plurality of content instances of the stored file; andoutputting the instance of content from the location within the storedfile.
 22. The method for performing the memory jump by the contentreceiver of claim 21, wherein the memory jump operation is based on apredefined timeframe.
 23. The method for performing the memory jump bythe content receiver of claim 21, the method further comprising:determining an amount of movement within the stored file for the memoryjump operation based on the aggregate recording bit rate of theplurality of content instances of the stored file.
 24. The method forperforming the memory jump by the content receiver of claim 21, whereinat least a subset of the plurality of content instances of the storedfile have different bit rates.
 25. The method for performing the memoryjump by the content receiver of claim 21, the method further comprising:calculating the aggregate bit rate of the stored file.
 26. The methodfor performing the memory jump by the content receiver of claim 21,further comprising: prior to outputting for playback the contentinstance, recording the plurality of content instances to the storedfile over a same period of time from the plurality of televisionchannels.
 27. The method for performing the memory jump by the contentreceiver of claim 26, wherein the recording is performed using a singletuner of the television receiver.
 28. A content receiver configured toperform a memory jump, the content receiver comprising: one or moretuners; one or more processors; and a memory communicatively coupledwith and readable by the one or more processors and having storedtherein processor-readable instructions which, when executed by the oneor more processors, cause the one or more processors to: cause a contentinstance to be output for presentation from a stored file, wherein: thestored file comprises a plurality of content instances recorded from aplurality of television channels; process received input requesting amemory jump operation; in response to the input requesting the memoryjump operation, perform the memory jump operation by jumping to alocation within the file, wherein the memory jump operation is based onan aggregate bit rate of the plurality of content instances of thestored file; and cause the instance of content to be output from thelocation within the stored file.
 29. The content receiver configured toperform the memory jump of claim 28, wherein the processor-readableinstructions that cause the one or more processors to perform the memoryjump operation are based on a predefined timeframe.
 30. The contentreceiver configured to perform the memory jump of claim 28, wherein theprocessor-readable instructions, when executed, further cause the one ormore processors to: determine an amount of movement within the storedfile for the memory jump operation based on the aggregate recording bitrate of the plurality of content instances of the stored file.
 31. Thecontent receiver configured to perform the memory jump of claim 28,wherein at least a subset of the plurality of content instances of thestored file have different bit rates.
 32. The content receiverconfigured to perform the memory jump of claim 28, wherein theprocessor-readable instructions, when executed, further cause the one ormore processors to: calculate the aggregate bit rate of the stored file.33. The content receiver configured to perform the memory jump of claim28, wherein the processor-readable instructions, when executed, furthercause the one or more processors to: prior to outputting for playbackthe content instance, record, using a single tuner of the plurality oftuners, the plurality of content instances to the stored file over asame period of time from the plurality of television channels.
 34. Anon-transitory processor-readable medium for performing a memory jump,comprising processor-readable instructions configured to cause one ormore processors to: cause a content instance to be output forpresentation from a stored file, wherein: the stored file comprises aplurality of content instances recorded from a plurality of televisionchannels; process received input requesting a memory jump operation; inresponse to the input requesting the memory jump operation, perform thememory jump operation by jumping to a location within the file, whereinthe memory jump operation is based on an aggregate bit rate of theplurality of content instances of the stored file; and cause theinstance of content to be output from the location within the storedfile.
 35. The non-transitory processor-readable medium for performingthe memory jump of claim 34, wherein the processor-readable instructionsconfigured to cause the one or more processors to perform the memoryjump operation are based on a predefined timeframe.
 36. Thenon-transitory processor-readable medium for performing the memory jumpof claim 34, wherein the processor-readable instructions are furtherconfigured to cause the one or more processors to: determine an amountof movement within the stored file for the memory jump operation basedon the aggregate recording bit rate of the plurality of contentinstances of the stored file.
 37. The non-transitory processor-readablemedium for performing the memory jump of claim 34, wherein at least asubset of the plurality of content instances of the stored file havedifferent bit rates.
 38. The non-transitory processor-readable mediumfor performing the memory jump of claim 34, wherein theprocessor-readable instructions are further configured to cause the oneor more processors to: calculate the aggregate bit rate of the storedfile.
 39. The non-transitory processor-readable medium for performingthe memory jump of claim 34, wherein the processor-readable instructionsare further configured to cause the one or more processors to: prior tooutputting for playback the content instance, recording the plurality ofcontent instances to the stored file substantially contemporaneouslyfrom the plurality of television channels.
 40. The transitoryprocessor-readable medium for performing the memory jump of claim 39,wherein the recording is performed using a single tuner of a televisionreceiver.